Arsenal: 4 things we’d like to see vs Burnley

3. Takehiro Tomiyasu’s Footballing Culture Shock

The way he conducts himself, speaks and plays, there appears to be little that fazes Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Part of the recruitment drive wasn’t just bringing in young players with exciting ceilings, it was also about acquiring certain personalities: undeterred by the challenges, likable characters and hungry to succeed.

While the tenacity with which Tomiyasu played in his first outing for the club but two days after landing in the country indicates success in securing that profile, playing in the north London sun against Norwich isn’t quite the same as this one.

Previously the joke was ‘yeah, but can he do it on a wet and windy Wednesday night in Stoke?’, one that has not been replaced but substituted slightly with a trip to Turf Moor. It’s rough and rugged, and that’s without talking about the football on show.

Tomiyasu will have his hands full with Chris Wood all afternoon and on top of that has to deal with the trickery of Dwight McNeil. That’s a contrasting pair that forces the 22-year-old to show physical and tactical flexibility in his defending.

Whatever signs can be drawn from 62 minutes at home to Norwich were positive ones. This is a different kettle of fish, though.

Let’s see Tomiyasu get really stuck in.